On-line sorption preconcentration of metals based on mixed micelle cloud point extraction prior to their determination with micellar chemiluminescence: Application to the determination of chromium at ng l levels

The on-line incorporation of cloud point extraction (CPE) to flow injection analysis (FIA) is modified to extract and preconcentrate metal species rapidly, avoiding the formation of hydrophobic complexes, using a mixed micellar medium. Coupling the procedure with chemiluminescence (CL) detection based on the catalytic activity of metal species on the luminol-hydrogen peroxide reaction and enhancing the signal with the presence of a micellar carrier containing bromide ions produces a powerful tool for the preconcentration and determination of metal species at ng l⁻¹ levels. As an analytical demonstration ultratrace concentrations of chromium were conveniently detected and quantified in samples with a complex matrix such as seawater and wastewater. The figures of merit for the determination of chromium were: 0.9-1.6% R.S.D. (n=5) with detection and quantification limits 0.5 and 2.0 ng l⁻¹, respectively. The calibration graph was rectilinear from 2 to 200 ng l⁻¹ (r=0.9996, n=6). Several other metal ions were determined in ideal situations, with analogous results.     

Development of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol-modified polymeric membranes for the effective batch pre-concentration and determination of zinc traces with flame atomic absorption spectrometry

The development of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN)-modified polymeric membranes for the effective batch pre-concentration and determination of zinc traces with flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) is described. The method is based on the chemical bonding of the metal species with a suitable ligand, which has been immobilized into a water-insoluble cellulose acetate (CA) membrane followed by simple rinsing of the chelating agent-metal complex with an acidified methanolic solution. The latter is directly aspirated to the nebulizer of a FAA spectrophotometer without any other treatment. As an analytical demonstration, trace concentrations of Zn(II) were successfully detected in real samples, such as seawater, river and lake water, wastewater as well as in a reference material, without any laborious and time-consuming treatment. Several working parameters were investigated. A pre-concentration factor of 100 was achieved by simple immersing of a circular piece of the CA-PAN membrane (0.6 cm diameter) in the tested samples for 30 min at room temperature. The analytical curve was rectilinear up to 30 mug l(-1) zinc with detection limit of 0.7 mug l(-1), a quantitation limit of 2.0 mug l(-1) and a relative standard deviation lower than 2%.     

Book Reviews

Glossary On Air Pollution, Who Regional Publications European Series No. 9 (Director, Promotion of Environmental Health, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Scherfigsvej 8, DK-2100 Copenhagen θ) 1980, 114 pages (including an introduction, a list of reviewers and a list of the sources of definitions), stiff paper cover, format 239 ± 159 mm, ISBN 92-9020-109-6, WHO Health and Biomedical Information Programme, CH-1211 Geneva 27, SFr. 12.

Spektroskopische Methoden in Der Organischen Chemie (in German), by Manfred Hesse, Herbert Meier and Bernd Zeeh, 478 pages, including 169 figures and 86 tables, flexible paper cover, ISBN 3-13-576101-0, Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart 1979, price DM 26.80.

Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Environmental Samples, World Health Organisation/International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC Publication No. 29 (Series: Environmental Carcinogens, Selected Methods of Analysis, Volume 3, edited by H. Egan, Laboratory of the Government Chemist, London, U.K. et al.) 1980, 240 pages (including 17 figures, 18 tables, many formulae, an annex with 8 methods of analysis and 29 pages of valuable references in two sections), linen, format 242 ± 186 mm, ISBN 92-8-321129-4, WHO Health and Biomedical Information Programme, CH-1211 Geneva 27, US$30 or SFr. 50.

Toxic Metals and Their Analysis by Eleanor Berman, Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., 304 pages (including an index of 5 pages, 29 tables and 5 figures), linen, format 241 × 163 mm, ISBN 0-85501-468-7, published 1980 by Heyden International Topics in Science, Spectrum House, Hillview Gardens, London NW4 2JQ, U.K., prices £12, US$27 or DM 56.     

Cationic surfactant-based polyfluorate salts: phase separation and analytical applications in the extraction and preconcentration of ionic species prior to liquid chromatography

The liquid-solid phase separation originating from the formation of cationic surfactant-based polyfluorate salts (CSBPS) has been explored for extracting and preconcentrating ionic species. Two cationic surfactants were tested; one with aliphatic hydrocarbon tail [Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)]and the other containing a heterocyclic ring [Hexadecylpyridinium bromide (HPyBr)]. Phase separation possibility was investigated with the use of hexafluorophosphates (PF6-) and tetrafluoroborates (BF4-). The effect of added acid, base and salt on the phase separation and analyte extraction was also investigated. In all cases the obtained phase diagrams consisted of two regions: a homogeneous liquid region and a solid-liquid region. Analytes of hydrophilic and hydrophobic nature such as amines, amino acids and organic chromophores were used as test compounds in both their anionic and cationic forms. The respective recoveries ranged from over 90% for anionic species and in the proximity of 50% for cationic species, remaining below 20% for neutral species. Extracts from alkaline aqueous and plasma samples spiked with tyrosine and phenylalanine were also subjected to HPLC separation with UV detection with satisfactory results. On line application was also enabled using a flow through-solid phase extraction-HPLC hyphenated apparatus, thus adding the element of automatization and increased reproducibility.     

Micelle mediated extraction of magnesium from water samples with trizma-chloranilate and determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

This article describes an analytical method for the determination of magnesium taking advantage of the cloud point phenomenon employing a suitable chelating agent (chloranilate) for Mg analysis. The method encompasses pre-concentration of the metal chelate followed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) analysis. The chelating agent chosen for this task is a newly synthesised salt of chloranilic acid, trizma-chloranilate, which reacts with Mg but at the same time has a very low affinity for other metallic cations like silicon, aluminium and sodium, which interfere with the determination of Mg in FAAS. The condensed surfactant phase with the metal chelate(s) is introduced into the flame of an atomic absorption spectrometer after its treatment with an acidified methanolic solution. In this way, complex and time-consuming steps for sample treatment are avoided while increased sensitivity is achieved by the presence of both methanol and surfactant in the aspirated sample. The analytical curve was rectilinear in the range of 5-220 mugl(-1) and the limit of detection was as low as 0.75 mugl(-1) with a standard deviation of 5.2%. The method was applied for the determination of Mg in natural and mineral waters with satisfactory results and recoveries in the range of 97-102%.     

Determination of diethylhexyladipate and acetyltributylcitrate in aqueous extracts after cloud point extraction coupled with microwave assisted back extraction and gas chromatographic separation

The determination of commercial plasticizers (di-(2-ethylhexyl)adipate (DEHA) and acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC)) in aqueous solutions is described. The newly proposed technique of applying microwaves to cloud point extracts in order to enable combination with gas chromatographic analysis has been used for this purpose. Both plasticizers were entrapped in the micelles of the non-ionic surfactant Triton X-114 and removed from the bulk phase by centrifugation. Micellization was enhanced by increasing the ionic strength of the solution with concentrated NaCl. Extraction recoveries of the proposed method were over 95% for water and 3% (w/v) aqueous acetic acid and over 85% for 10% (v/v) aqueous ethanol, respectively. The calibration curves obtained, following the proposed methodology have a linear range between 50 and 2000 microg/L for each analyte while the detection limits were as low as 15 and 19 microg/L for DEHA and ATBC, respectively, with an RSD below 5% even for low concentrations. As an analytical demonstration the proposed methodology was applied for the determination of the migration levels of the selected plasticizers from a PVC food packaging film into aqueous simulants.     

The 4-aminoantipyrine Method Revisited: Determination of Trace Phenols by Micellar Assisted Preconcentration

The traditional method for phenol analysis based on the oxidizing coupling of 4-aminoantipyrine (4-APP) with phenol in alkaline solution is re-evaluated in this study in combination with micellar assisted preconcentration (cloud point extraction). The method employs the conventional reaction pathway while extraction is facilitated by surfactant based precipitation, during which the nonpolar derivative of 4-AAP-phenol is entrapped in the micelles and concentrated into a surfactant-rich phase. The latter is the re-solubilized and the complex is quantified spectrophotometrically in the presence of a surfactant. Compared to the traditional method the modification proposed offers certain analytical advantages like massive analysis of many samples, lower detection limits and shorter time of analysis. The method was applied in various samples of different origin with satisfactory results.     

Systems of oblate molecules. Monte Carlo study

Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were performed for systems of hard oblate spherocylinders with breadth-to-height ratios φ = 0.5–3.5 and packing fractions y = 0.25–0.45 and for Kihara oblate molecule systems of φ = 1 at reduced temperatures T* = 0.75 and 1.0 and y = 0.05–0.45. The compression factors and the dependence of the average correlation functions on the shortest surface-to-surface distance were determined for the case of hard oblate spherocylinders and the compression factors, residual internal energies and average correlation functions for the case of the generalized Kihara molecule systems. In addition, values of the third virial coefficient of the hard oblate spherocylinders were evaluated in the range of φ = 1–3. Results of the MC simulations for the hard oblate spherocylinders compare well with the available data in the literature and theoretical values; thermodynamic functions of the Kihara molecule systems were determined from the second-order perturbation theory. They agree well with our MC values at lower densities and higher reduced temperatures.     

Surface States in a Simple Crystal Model

A very simple crystal model of a semi-infinite heteroatomic planar lattice like boronitride is investigated for the energy, wave functions and existence conditions of surface states, using the one-electron Green function method. σ and π electrons are treated separately. For π electrons, we find two surface state bands, both for the electropositive and the electronegative surface. The consequence is the existence of Shockley “subsurface” states. For σ electrons, similar results were found as for the sphalerite-type lattice. The investigated model can also be used to draw qualitative conclusions about the effect of electronic correlation on surface states of planar graphite. The possibility of finding a certain type of “antiferromagnetism” with π electrons localized on the planar graphite boundary is suggested. On étudie un modèle très simple d'un cristal avec un réseau sémi-infini, héteroatomique, comme le boronitride. L'énergie, les fonctions d'onde et des conditions d'existence d'états de surface ont été obtenus par la méthode de la fonction de Green à un électron. Les électrons σ et π ont été traités séparément. Pour les électrons π on trouve deux bandes d'états de surface pour la surface électropositive ainsi que pour la surface électronégative, ce qui implique l'existence d'états de “sous-surface” de Shockley. Pour les électrons σ on trouve des résultats semblables aux ceux qu'on a obtenu pour le réseau de type sphalérite. Le modèle étudié ici peut aussi être employé pour tirer des conclusions qualitatives sur l'effet de la corrélation électronique sur les états de surface du graphite plan. On propose qu'il serait possible de trouver un certain type de “antiferromagnétisme” avec les électrons π localisés sur le bord du graphite plan. Es wurde ein einfaches Modell für ein halb-unendliches, heteroatomares Kristallgitter, wie Boronitrid untersucht. Die Energie, die Wellenfunktionen und Existenzbedingungen für Oberflächenzustände wurden mit der Einelektron-Green-Funktionsmethode erhalten. Die σ- und π-Electronen wurden getrennt behandelt. Für die π-Elektronen finden wir zwei Bände für Oberflächenzustände, sowohl für die elektropositive als für die elektronegative Oberfläche. Als Folgerung erhalten wir die Shockleysche unteroberflächenzustände. Für die σ-Elektronen wurden ähnliche Resultate als für das Sphaleritgitter gefunden. Das untersuchte Modell kann auch dafür angewendet werden, urn den Effekt der elektronischen Korrelation auf die Oberflächenzustände planares Graphits in qualitativer Weise zu diskutieren. Es wurde vorgeschlagen, dass es möglich wäre, eine gewisse Art von “Antiferromagnetismus” der π-Elektronen die auf der Grenze planares Graphits lokalisiert sind, zu finden.     

Determination of acrylamide and methacrylamide by normal phase high performance liquid chromatography and UV detection

A method using normal phase high performance liquid chromatography (NP-HPLC) with UV detection was developed for the analysis of acrylamide and methacrylamide. The method relies on the chromatographic separation of these analytes on a polar HPLC column designed for the separation of organic acids. Identification of acrylamide and methacrylamide is approached dually, that is directly in their protonated forms and as their hydrolysis products acrylic and methacrylic acid respectively, for confirmation. Detection and quantification is performed at 200 nm. The method is simple allowing for clear resolution of the target peaks from any interfering substances. Detection limits of 10 microg L(-1) were obtained for both analytes with the inter- and intra-day RSD for standard analysis lying below 1.0%. Use of acetonitrile in the elution solvent lowers detection limits and retention times, without impairing resolution of peaks. The method was applied for the determination of acrylamide and methacrylamide in spiked food samples without native acrylamide yielding recoveries between 95 and 103%. Finally, commercial samples of french and roasted fries, cookies, cocoa and coffee were analyzed to assess applicability of the method towards acrylamide, giving results similar with those reported in the literature.